Arthur Brun has two priorities to combat the drug epidemic on Kauai. One is to get the Adolescent Treatment & Healing Center up and running as soon as possible. The second is to help offenders find jobs after they are
Arthur Brun has two priorities to combat the drug epidemic on Kauai.
One is to get the Adolescent Treatment & Healing Center up and running as soon as possible. The second is to help offenders find jobs after they are released from jail.
“(We need) to step up our efforts to successfully reintegrate offenders via work-release opportunities, such as those we’ve been offering at Syngenta,” he said.
If elected to Kauai County Council, Brun said he will make sure police have the tools to enforce drug laws.
“The county has a four-pronged approach: prevention, treatment, enforcement and reintegration. All four of those have to be supported,” he said.
The 45-year-old Waimea resident, who owns ATA’s Smoked Meat and Nite Light Rentals, hopes to bring his business acumen to the council.
“As a small business owner, I know how difficult it is to achieve everything you want to achieve on limited resources,” he said.
He hopes to use that experience to manage the county budget.
“It’s complicated because there are services that are vital to the public that are difficult to scale back or eliminate without having a negative impact.” he said. “That being said, we have to find ways to do more with less. I would look at the budget with fresh eyes and fresh ideas of how we can do more with what we have.”
Brun, a baseball and softball coach, believes that with proper vetting, there will be enough room in the budget to keep parks and other sports facilities clean.
“I spend a lot of time in the community volunteering for events and youth activities. Keeping our parks well-maintained is important, and I think we can use partnerships to make improvements in that area within the current budget,” he said.
If elected, Brun, a graduate of Waimea High School and employee at Syngenta Hawaii, LLC., plans to take a hard look at the budget to find the funds for road and bridge repair projects.
”We have to make sure the money that is already allotted for repairs is spent in a timely manner,” he said.
Brun also hopes to increase affordable housing options by working with state and private developers.
“I know firsthand how easy it can be to slip into homelessness, and also how you can pull yourself out of it with the right support,” he said.
Unpermitted homestays and TVRs have a negative impact not only on residents, but the tourism industry as well, Brun said.
“These activities are hurting our hotels and other permitted vacation units.”
Part of Brun’s platform is supporting tourism and the military. He plans to do that by properly funding the county’s ocean safety program and park maintenance, as well as supporting festivals and events.
If elected, Brun will work to keep communication open between the county and the Pacific Missile Range Facility. The county needs to understand the base’s needs, he said.
“(It’s) very important, especially since we have learned that the mission of the base may evolve in the near future.”
Given the chance to be on County Council, Brun hopes to use his position to educate the community on seed companies and their benefits via outreach programs.
“(At Syngenta), we have increased our outreach and opened our doors to tours so that people can learn more about what we do and the responsible and safe way in which we operate,” he said. “These are things we are committed to and will continue to do.”
